Almia: Bravery
by Riley Sky
Summary: After yet another fight, Kate desperately wishes to change Keith. Instead she unleashes an ancient curse onto him, which brings some unintended results. Set in a race against time and battling a strong opponent, can these two fiery friends overcome the chaos and solve their own internal conflictions? Crossover of Shadows of Almia & Brave movie.
1. Tale of Mer'Du

**And hello to all you readers out there! Welcome to "Pokemon Shadows of Almia: Bravery"! If you haven't known/guessed already, this is a crossover between SoA and the animated movie 'Brave'. Had this idea for a little while and tried writing out a few scenes. I thought it would be interesting to go where the writing takes me, see if this fanfic could work!**

**Even if you've never seen the movie, I'm making sure you'd still be able to understand & enjoy the story!**

**Same characters (possibly few changes here and there) as to be expected but I'll be changing & inserting the movie into the ranger game! I promise to make things awesome and epic for you all! Any readers who read my last fanfic know all too well that I can bring one heck of a story to life! By the way, thank you regular readers!**

**Disclaimers and claimers will be posted every so often but you guys know the jist.  
Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon or Brave.**

**Claimer: I own changes in character and sub-plots. **

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_That day had been years ago but I remember it clearly. I saw something that day; something I'll never forget. It stands 8 feet tall…with razor sharp claws and fangs. He's stained with blood from fallen warriors. His body scarred, with a face that carries gleaming red eyes. Just as I turned around…._

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"ROAAAAARRR!" I shouted. "Sven was slashed; clean across the face and chest!"

"Awww that's my favorite part!" Sven laughed.

Me and the other top rangers of the Union gathered in the break room. Sven was the cowboy, experienced Top Ranger who was rumored to have captured more than 10,000 pokemon in his career. He just turned twenty years old with suave looks, getting him a lot of attention from the ladies. With his trusty partner Zap the Luxray, they made one hell of a team. We were neighbors in Fiore and, as kids, hung out a lot.

"I can't believe that happened to you!"

Wendy, the girl with long green hair, is another talented ranger who specialized in flying and bird-pokemon. The nineteen year old and her staraptor, Flight, were partnered up into the same team as Sven. Hate to admit it…but I kinda looked up to her.

"Hold it! I thought Mar'du was supposed to be in Almia."

And the redhead over there is Keith. He's always getting on my nerves, challenging me at every turn. This arrogant, hot-headed, pushy idiot is my biggest rival….and also my best friend since ranger school. I guess our many competitions helped us a little towards our ranger dreams and brought us closer together. And….maybe I missed him a bit when he was assigned a far-off base after graduation. But there were days here at the Union that make me wish we were regions apart again.

"It's Mer'du and didn't you listen earlier?" I groaned. "We were vacationing in Almia at the time."

"How do you know Sven was torn up by Mer'du and not some other salamence?" Keith questioned, petting his buizel, Wave.

"What you don't believe us?" I fired back.

"Don't start arguing _again_!"

The blond girl entering the break room is Rhythmi. No, she's not a ranger. She's an operator whose assigned to me and Keith. Like red, we've been best friends since ranger school. But Rhythmi and I almost never fight. Usually she's the referee for my competitions with my idiot partner.

"He didn't believe me or Sven about the story of Mer'du!" I said.

"Mer'du?" Rhythmi blinked. "What the heck is a Mer'du?"

"You haven't heard? It's a salamence that's twice its normal height and is the most violent, heartless pokemon in the world!" I retold. "No human or pokemon has battled Mer'du and escaped alive. He's somewhere in Almia, rumored to be centuries old!"

"No way!" Rhythmi gasped. "Sven, you believe this story too?"

"How do you think I got this scar on my face?" Sven tipped his hat up, revealing the scar that stretched across his face. "It's on my rockhard abs too. Course I can't show them due to girls fainting at my devastating physique."

"Don't be so modest." Wendy joked.

"Mer'du did _that_ to you?" Rhythmi looked shocked. "Oh my gosh!"

"Pfft. I'm not afraid of this Mer'du pokemon." Keith rolled his eyes. "If I came across him, I'd capture the dragon no problem! Never know what hit him!"

"You really think you can capture a killer pokemon like Mer'du?" I rose an eyebrow. "You have no idea what you're up against."

"Yeah right! I'd capture him in the blink of an eye!" Keith scoffed. "As opposed to _you_…"

"Are you challenging me, redhead?" I growled. "Cause this is one fight you'd lose in an instant you idiot!"

"You'll be the one to lose, clutz!" Keith shouted, glaring.

"QUIET!" Rhythmi broke up the fight. "When will you two stop bickering like this?"

"Probably never." Sven mumbled, with Wendy giggling.

"I'm going for a walk." I started leaving, irritated.

"Careful not to run into Mer'du!" Keith taunted.

"SHUT UP!" I slammed the door behind me.

That jerk….blasted idiot….he always managed to tick me off. Keith easily tormented me as much as I tormented him. We'd always get ourselves into some sort of competition; be it a simple capture challenge or a race up the Peril cliffs (for the record, neither of us won due near-death in a mudslide). This ruby haired dork was the most annoying guy I've ever met!

And I, Top Ranger Kate, have a crush on him.

Yeah it's true. Didn't realize it for awhile but when it happened, it just….dawned on me. Certainly explained why I competed against him harder than any other person or the effort I put into impressing him. But I like Keith. Once you got past that big mouth that never clams shut, he was sort of cute. And when he wanted to be, Keith was a great guy. Funny, determined, energetic, impossible to be bored around…that and a lot of other things describe him well. Of course, usually I'd see the stubborn, rivaling, audacious side.

Thankfully, no one else knows. Maybe Chia, my partner pachirisu, has an idea but she's been busy trying to get Zap's attention. None of the other rangers or friends of mine found out the truth. And I'd be ruined if any of them found out. News spreads fast in Almia, especially when your friends are rangers and operators. Keith would find out and never let me hear the end of it. That pompous guy would tease like everyone else. Or worse. It'd ruin our friendship and competitive spirit permanently. No chance Keith would even think I was even cute or liked any aspect of me.

So I go on like we do as best friends and rivals. I laugh at the jokes, hang out and get fired up over something which would plunge us into competing against each other. It's perfectly fine! I enjoy it, actually! Being a ranger and staying together with all my old and new friends is all I ask.

It's a dream come alive for me.

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**Authors notes:**** (1) The story, yes, is written in first person by Kate's view. There will be some future scenes by Keith but that, dear readers, won't be quite yet. **

**(2) I kept the names of the partner pokemon for some sentimental reasons. But for this particular story, I'm making them unable to talk to humans. **

**(3) Dim Sun won't be mentioned in the story. Just saying it now. Why? I'll go into that at a later date.**

**(4) Mor'du was the bear in the movie. See how I spun the name a little? Salam****E****nce, M****E****r'du?**

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**Anyways, thank you for reading the first chapter! Updates will be frequent (as much as I can!) and next one's coming soon! **


	2. Morning Moment

**Sorry for short chapter! I promise to make the next one longer! **

***munches on ice cream***

**Read, review and enjoy peoples!**

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Most sixteen year olds prefer to sleep in as long as possible before starting the day. And for rangers, operators and mechanics, it doesn't seem to be different. Me? I've always been somewhat of an early riser. And I never let myself just lie in bed or simply go back to sleep.

At five am, I wake up and quietly get out of bed, careful not to disturb Rhythmi and Keith, aka my roommates. After a cold shower and changing into my uniform (and grabbing my styler), I start to sneak around the base with Chia happily tagging along. All the doors are locked at night but naturally, I've got my way out. I go to the rooftop, where the Tree of Harmony is, and grab the vines growing along the side walls of the Union. Climbing down had never been an issue. The vines were strong and hadn't weakened a single bit since I first started doing my morning routine.

Reaching the ground, I take a deep breath in. Then I start to jogging down the steps and through the path. I'm not entirely sure myself, but these morning runs seemed to relax me. It was a way to burn off my energy or emotions that bugged me. Gave me time to spend with Chia and get my thoughts in order. Of course I still had truckloads of energy to spare for the missions that charged right at me. I'd get back, rest a little and get moving around the base as everyone started waking up. Nobody knew.

Normally, I'd go around six. But I was in the mood for a special run. Chia even seemed to be up for it. So we sprinted through our usual path and went past the dimly lit park of Altru. Normally I'd head for Chroma Highlands but I noticed Brook left the gate down on the bridge, a rare opportunity I loved to take advantage of. Over the bridge and into the sleepy Pueltown. I crossed into Vien Forest, running along the trees. The ground started to get steeper, forming into a hill. I stopped running and started hiking, making my way to the very top.

There, I reached Lookout Ridge. Chia and I sat on the edge, overlooking Pueltown and the entire distance we ran together. Right on time, the sun started to rise in the east. I loved the special runs. Seeing the colors burst into the sky in all its beautiful glory, breathing in the crisp air and feeling the fresh dew on the chilled grass. Light bathed the land of Almia, bringing it into another brand new day. It was a hopeful scene full of peace, inspiring me to do even better on missions and patrol.

"What do you think, Chia?" I scratched my buddy's ears.

"Chipaaa….chi chippa" She sighed happily.

"I'm thinking, is this is where you go off to every morning?"

I whirled around, completely startled by another voice. Some feet away was Keith and Wave. What the heck was he doing there? He was fast asleep when I left!

"But….how did….you're…I…ah…" I tried to ask him that.

"Sometimes I'd wake up too early and find your bed empty." Keith sat down next to me on the ledge. "I got curious so I woke up early today and waited for you. Followed you all the way here."

"You stalked me?" I feel my cheeks burning.

"NO! Just _followed_ you." He corrected.

"Well you followed me. And now you're here." I said.

"Yep. Is this what you do every morning?" Keith asked.

"Usually it's just a quick jog around the Union area. But sometimes I get up extra early to do this." I replied. "Though you probably find it boring…"

"Actually…" Keith stared out at the sunrise. "This is kinda cool."

The light looked so gentle and warm on face, lighting him up with color. His green eyes were burning bright but more serene than usual. Wow he was cute. I turned back to the sunrise and gazed at it for a little while longer. Neither of spoke. Instead we listened to the wind rustle the trees and bird pokemon chirp. This was moment had to be one of my favorites.

"Time to go back." I sighed.

The sun reached a point I signaled as the leaving time. I didn't want people wondering where I was or questioning me. Keith and I got up and started jogging back to the Union together. People in Pueltown were starting to wake up, the city coming back to life as the day began. Pokemon too were arousing from sleep. Soon enough, the Union base would be as active as it always was and rangers would go out on patrol into the region.

"If you don't mind, maybe I'll join you a couple of times for this." Keith said as we neared the base.

"You know…" I smiled. "I'd like that.

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**A little moment shared between the two friends. How sweet! **

**We've got an update coming near you! Keep a sharp eye out! **


	3. Stories and Ice Cream

**To the left, to the left, to the left, to the left! To the right, to the right, to the right, to the right! Now kick, now kick, now kick!**

**Oy…song stuck inside my head! But now I've got it in your head! Welcome to another chapter!**

**Read review, read review, read review, read review! And enjoy, and enjoy, and enjoy, and enjoy!**

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"Clutz!"

"Idiot!"

That happy, special moment from the early morning? Long gone.

"You took my pizza!" I snapped.

"Did not!" Keith argued.

"There's sauce on your chin!" I pointed out.

"Why don't you fix yourself another lunch?" Keith questioned.

"Cause I was saving that pizza slice for today!" I shouted. "I can't believe you took it!"

"Then you should label it!" Keith yelled.

"What part of 'Kate's lunch' did you not see on the bag?" I groaned.

Rhythmi entered the room but neither of us noticed her. Too busy fighting. Just as I was about to let that redhead have it, our blond friend picked up a glass of water and splashed it on our face.

"Rhythmi!" We turn to face her.

"You two fight over the dumbest things!" Rhythmi said. "Can't you settle this in a calm, ordinary fashion?"

"I suppose you're right." I sighed.

"Yeah…like a staraptor race to Boyleland?" Keith smirked.

"Oh you're on!" I accepted the challenge.

"Oh no you're not!" Rhythmi grabbed our collars. "I came to tell you two that we all have the day off tomorrow. I'm thinking us three plus Sven and Wendy can hang out together in Pueltown."

"Sounds good to me." Keith shrugged.

"I like the idea." I agreed.

"And I'm hoping neither of you will start competing again." Rhythmi's tone of voice meant serious business; a tone not to be reckoned with.

"We promise." Keith and I muttered.

"I can go a day without competition. Course crazy here can't stand it." Keith huffed.

"Crazy? You self-centered…" I was raring to go.

"GUYS." Rhythmi glared.

"….sorry Rhythmi." The two of us apologized.

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Keith was off handling a quest during our afternoon patrol. So I waited by, taking in the warm sunny air. What was taking him so long? I was itching to do more quests. And if I ever took this long, he'd impatiently tell me off.

"Ranger!"

I turned to find an old woman sitting on a park bench. She was trying to get my attention so I came right over.

"Can I help you?" I cheerfully asked.

"Oh you just seemed a little bored." The old woman replied. "Not many quests to be done?"

"Actually I'm just waiting for my partner. He's taking too long on a current quest." I replied.

"Ah so I see. Then how about I keep you company?" The elderly woman offered.

Mom always said to respect your elders. A rule I took to heart.

"Sure thing ma'am." I sat down on the bench next to her.

"You can call me Celia." She insisted. "Would you mind listening to an old lady's story?"

"Not at all." I replied, always up for a good story or two.

"It's one of Almia's older folktales that dates back centuries ago. Long ago, before Hia Valley even became frozen in ice, the region was prosperous and beautiful." Celia recounted. "It was an era of peace throughout the land. Almia was ruled by a king who believed firmly in the importance of knowledge and hoped his four sons would use their wisdom to take his place someday."

"I had no idea Almia was ruled with a king." I said.

"Three of the sons were indeed wise and would make excellent leaders for the kingdom." Celia went on. "But there was one prince who craved power. He broke apart from his duties and tried to take over throne himself. In the end, all the prince caused was ruin and despair. And thus Almia's kingdom collapsed and was lost in time."

"How'd you know this legend?" I asked.

"It was passed down to me by my own grandmother, such as all good legends are." Ceila answered. "Sadly, many become forgotten alongside history. It's such a shame too. Almia has a rich history and secretive past that could become lost forever if we don't continue to share these stories with the generations of tomorrow."

"Then I'll try my best to remember this story." I told her.

"That's all I ask." Ceila nodded.

"KATE!"

And there was Keith, raring to go. When did he get back?

"Hurry up! We've got more quests to do!" He called.

"I'm coming! Wait a sec!" I shouted back.

He groaned in response, impatient as ever.

"Good luck on your quests dear." Ceila said.

"Thank you!"

I ran to join up with Keith. He was going on about how he captured a lot of new pokemon for the styler but I wasn't paying attention. Took some time for him to notice.

"Hellooo? Anyone home?" Keith knocked on my head.

"Hey!" I shoved him a little.

"You seem lost in thought." Keith said.

"Just reflecting." I told him. "The old woman from before told me about an old Almian legend."

"Another fairy-tale?" Keith rolled his eyes. "Boring."

I didn't respond; not in the mood to start another argument.

"Can't believe you like those kinds of lame stories." Keith huffed, glancing over at me smugly.

No reply. I was checking the quests on my styler. It seemed to irritate him.

"You know the least you could do is humor me." He mumbled.

"Hm?" I pretended not to have heard him. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"Clutz." Keith smacked me in the head, grinning.

"Idiot." I giggled.

I couldn't help smiling. Sometimes, the guy was just too cute to ignore. Whenever he wasn't arguing with me, Keith would always make me laugh. Another reason that added to the burden of the crush.

"Oh hey. There's an ice cream stand over there." Keith pointed out. "Wanna grab some?"

"Sure." I accepted, in the mood for something sweet.

We walked over to the vendor who seemed delighted to see us.

"Rangers!" The vendor's Italian voice sang. "Hows about two cones on de house?"

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Of course! I love ze work you do on de city!" The vendor happily replied. "Pueltown has never been better! Now what can I get ya?"

"Two chocolates." Keith ordered before I could say it.

"How'd you know what flavor I like?" I asked him.

"What?" He smirked. "You don't think I notice these things?"

So the redhead did know me a bit. Surprise, surprise. The vendor scooped out ice cream onto two cones and handed them to us.

"Good luck with the girlfriend!" He said to Keith.

"GIRLFRIEND?" I choked on air.

"No way is she my girlfriend!" Keith rejected. "I'd choose someone way better than this space-headed clutz."

I shot him a glare and walked on ahead, chowing down on the ice cream. Stupid jerk. Every time I'd get sucked into those shiny eyes and adorable grin, reality crashed down all over again. You think I'd be used to it. But no. That was _never_ the case.

Glancing back, I was stunned at the newest scene unfurling. Several girls were surrounding Keith and flirting with him. Tramps. And Keith seemed to be enjoying the attention. He flexed his muscles and charmed them over. He always loved being in the spotlight. With an eye roll, I stormed off.

"Hey Kate! Wait up!"

Didn't listen to him. Keith's flirts and affairs were none of my business. If he wanted to go after hot, naïve girls, then let him. I knew from the start he didn't think of me more as a frenemy. So why did it still sting me?

"Kate!" Keith managed to catch up to me. "What the hell? Why didn't you wait?"

"I thought you were spending time with your girlfriends." I answered, nonchalantly.

"What…? I was just talking to them. No big deal." Keith waved it off. "Are you upset with me?"

"For making me sound like some undesirable space-headed clutz? Not at all." I sarcastically replied.

Keith blinked, obviously lost.

"Forget it." I mumbled, crunching onto the ice cream cone.

Sometimes I wondered why emotions even existed. There was a legend that says a sinnoh pokemon, mesperit, created emotions. I had to ask why it did that; why give people and pokemon the negative emotions? All emotions did was cause trouble. Especially when it came to crushes.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Keith eating his ice cream. Chocolate was all over his face. It took a lot of struggle not to smile. Maybe emotions were like yin and yang. You'd just have to take the good with the bad. Sure there was sadness but with it came pain. In the end, after all was said and done, having emotions wasn't such a bad thing at all.

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**So we've got more conflict and an old story! Not bad starting out, eh? But let's see what happens on the group's day off for next chapter! It shall arrive momentarily!**

**SOUND THE TRUMPETS! **


	4. Feud

***Sleepily pulls up some sort of sign***

"**Read, review enjoy"**

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I hate to admit it…but Rhythmi's awesome. She knew where all the great hang-out spots in Pueltown were. The entire morning of my day off was spent with her, Keith, Sven and Wendy (and all the pokemon, of course) having a blast. There was the outdoor Go-Rock concert in Altru Park, a farmer's market and then we relaxed at a café for lunch. Simple but fun!

"So what do you want to do next?" I asked her as we walked through the streets.

"I was thinking we'd go to the harbor and walk around." Rhythmi pulled out a map. "Unless you guys have any other ideas."

Everyone started looking over the map.

"There's some really good pastries down at this area."

"Oh yeah, heard about it through Marcus."

"We could also stop by Vientown to say hi to the other rangers."

"Not a bad idea."

"Hey maybe we can catch an evening show someplace."

"Ok we have got to stop to stop at smoothie place. Really awesome."

They started debating but I was getting a little bored. I remembered seeing a fountain not too far back in the plaza. Why not toss in a coin? I was in the mood for a little luck boost. Carefully, Chia and I slipped away from the group. We retraced our path all the way back to the fountain. It was elegant; a twist of laurels forming some kind of unique shape. Maybe a symbol for peace? I wasn't too sure.

"Chia, you want to give it a shot?" I pulled out two quarters as we sat down on the edge.

"Chippa!" Chia took one of the coins. "Chi chi chippa!

"Now just wish for a little luck." I said.

After a little bit, we both tossed our coins into the fountain. Two tiny splashes followed by ripples. Maybe I was a bit superstitious but I liked the little 'good luck' rituals. Like tossing coins in a fountain or finding a four leaf clover.

"Think your wish will come true?"

I turned around, faced with three guys around my age. They had pokemon; a larvitar, poochyena and tyrogue. Not exactly common pokemon for the area. Same with the guys as well.

"You must be trainers!" I said.

"Yep! I'm Grady!" The dark haired boy introduced. "This is my poochyena, Gruffin!"

"Name's Dirk." A guy with bleach blond hair and his larvitar sat beside me on the fountain. "This is Ding."

"And I'm Mac." The last one flipped his dark golden hair around. "Tryogue's name is Indy."

"Ruff!"

"Lar! Lavitar!"

"Rooogue!"

"Chippa!" Chia greeted.

"I'm Kate. This is Chia." I introduced. "So where are you from?"

"Mac and I are from Johto." Dirk answered. "We ran into Grady during our Hoenn adventures and have traveled together since then. Decided to take a little vacation so we stopped by in Almia."

"So do you know any good spots to check out here in Pueltown?" Mac asked.

I went through a list of places at the top of my head. They seemed pretty interested. Thinking they could use adventure, I also suggested hiking around Boyleland Volcano or Chroma Ruins. In return I got some stories about their travels. Dangerous storms, mountain expeditions, going across foreign lands…sounded awesome! Nowhere as cool as being a ranger of course but still exciting to hear about nonetheless. Chia seemed happy to be talking to the other pokemon as well.

"You know Kate, you're not so bad." Grady said.

"Thanks. And you guys seem nice." I complimented.

"Hey we could use a tour." Dirk said. "Think a cute girl like yourself could do that for us?"

"CUTE?" I reddened. "Sorry guys but I'm not cute!"

"What? And who says _that_?" Grady questioned, surprised.

"Come on. We want to take in some scenic sights while walking alongside one." Mac said. "Can't you at least give us that, pretty girl?"

"Actually, I'm supposed to meet my fr…"

"KATE!"

All of a sudden, Keith ran right over. He looked ticked off. What was wrong with _him_?

"Hey Keith." I casually greeted. "I met up with some pokemon trainers and talked for a bit."

"Really?" He looked over at the guys. "And I suppose what happens in Pueltown stays in Pueltown for you guys."

"Hah?" Grady was taken aback.

"Dude, we don't do that." Dirk rolled his eyes. "We were just asking your friend to show us around."

"Is this guy your boyfriend?" Mac asked me.

"No he is not." I sighed. "He's just my idiot friend."

"Kate, I think we should get back to the others." Keith grabbed my arm and yanked me up.

"Take it easy!" I pulled my hand away. "You don't have to be so uptight!"

"Oh so I should keep my guard down and let you get kidnapped by these strangers?" Keith questioned.

"Ahem!" Dirk coughed. "Still here!"

"We're not going to do anything to her." Grady assured.

"Kate, let's go." Keith grit his teeth, starting to walk off.

"No."

Redhead stopped.

"What did you say?" He turned around.

"I said NO." I told him, defiantly. "You're not the boss of me."

Keith glared at me. He snatched my arm and started dragging me away from the fountain.

"Keith! What the hell do you think you're doing? Stop it!" I protested.

His fingers were clenched painfully onto my arm, refusing to let go. My words fell on deaf ears. Keith was really upset. Why was he suddenly acting up? It didn't make sense. Only had one option to get him to listen. I slapped him straight across the face.

"Kate!" He faced me, but this time with shock and hurt. "What was that for?"

"That…" I freed my arm from his grip. "…was for being a jerk."

He stared at me for a moment but regained composure.

"First off, you separated from the group without telling any of us. Everyone was worried about you so I was sent to go look." Keith explained. "Next thing I see, you're laughing alongside a bunch of strangers. Clearly those boys were flirting with you."

"There's no harm in that." I told him. "All they wanted was a tour around Pueltown and I was about to tell them no when you showed up."

"And if they stole you away?" Keith raised an eyebrow.

"They're nice guys, Keith. Even if they were like that, what the heck would they do with me?" I asked.

"Oh acreus you're so clueless…" Keith groaned.

"Why are you so damn judgemental? Why'd you even explode like that?" I questioned. "I don't need you to make decisions for me or to point out who the bad guy is!"

"There's nothing in that thick shell you call a head, is there?" Keith fired back. "Why am I even friends with a dense ^&#$% like you?"

It felt like the world froze. I was shocked. What he said pierced me through the heart. Shattered my spirit into tiny glass fragments. From my pocket, I pulled out a picture. It was one Ms. April took of us two from ranger school. For sentimental and luck reasons, I carried it around a lot.

"If that's how you feel…" I ripped the picture straight in half. "Then maybe I shouldn't be friends with a jerk like you."

I tore off through the crowds, leaving him behind.

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**(Keith)**

Arcueus….oh arceus why did I _say _that? Clearly I am a jerk, taking things way too far. I can't believe I hurt Kate's feelings like that. She looked so broken up about it. I tried to run after Kate but I lost her through the crowds. The others would be furious at me. And by others, I mostly meant Rhythmi. Furious? Meant to say enraged beyond all words.

How could I let my emotions get the better of me _again_? It always happened. Ever since day 1, when I mixed up the feeling for like with competition. Yeah I admit it. I _like_ Kate. A_ lot_. She's sweet, smart, go-getter, imaginative and daring. There's a lot I admire in her. But I could never say that. At first it was because I couldn't express my feelings and used competition & arguments for my pent up energy. Now? Some of that….but also because something holds me back. Fear of rejection, worry about our friendship, thinking she'll leave me one day, typical stuff. And when I do fight with Kate, it brings me a little closer to her. Somehow hearing her call me an idiot tells me everythings alright, all is right with the world.

But she tore up that picture she carried around, one that meant a lot to the both of us. That stung. And before running off, she said we weren't friends anymore. I didn't mean to act like a jerk! I was just trying to protect her! Those guys still looked sketchy to me and I wasn't liking how comfortable Kate was around them. Am I overprotective? Maybe. But it's better than finding out she's kidnapped. And possibly I got….er….jealous.

Kate…I don't want to lose you…

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**Authors note: Fun fact! The guy's and pokemon's names take after the movie's characters. Grady & Gruffin for MacGruffin, Mac & Indy for MacIntosh, and Dirk & Ding for Dingwall.**

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***starts waking up***

**Yawn…so I give you drama and another like confession. Basically we've got two thick-headed rangers in love and neither's going to admit it to the other so easily. Ah, love never did run a smooth course.**

**Keep an eye out for the next update! Itsa coming!**


	5. For a Spell

***eats a pastry***

**Hiya guys! Another new chapter update! Kate ran off upset while Keith realized he messed things up. What'll be the outcome? You've got to read, review and find it all out!**

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**(Kate)**

That…..that jerk! Moron! Idiot! How could he? I thought we were friends! My feelings got hurt_ again_ by that egotistical, hot headed, twit. All he thinks of me is….is….a screwup. I'm nothing to him. He hates me…this time I know it for sure…

I didn't stop running. Didn't care where I was going or where I ended up. All I wanted was to be as far away from that redhead as possible. Let my feet carry me till they felt like lead. Tears were leaking out my eyes but I made no effort to stop them. What's the point? How much more lower could I possible go?

"Chippa!"

Chia tried to warn me but it was too late. I tripped over a tree root and landed with a thud, right on the ground. Yikes that hurt…with a groan, I got on all fours and assessed the damage. Nothing broken, sprained or hurt. Just a minor bruise.

"Chi? Chippa chippa?" Chia looked at me with a concerned expression.

"I'll be alright." I sighed, patting her head.

So where did I end up? I looked around. This was Vien Forest…but….I went in a lot deeper than I've ever gone. The trees were taller, more ominous. Their canopy didn't let much light reach through, darkening the ground where I sat. Not many pokemon around, if at all. How far in did I go?

"Shaaaa…"

A ghostly voice caught my attention. Ahead of me a few feet was a blue shuppet, floating and beckoning me to come to it. I've heard stories about it when I was little; a blue shuppet always leads you to your fate. Was this one trying to lead me to mine? I got up and took a step forward.

"Chi…" Chia seemed hesitant about it.

"It'll be fine." I whispered. "Don't worry about a thing."

Taking in a deep breath, I slowly walked up to the shuppet. I reached out my hand but it turned to vapor. Had I done something wrong?...apparently not. Another blue shuppet appeared some distance away. A whole line of them formed, calling me to come forward into the darker part of the forest. I follow the path, each shuppet turning to vapor at close range while another appeared at the end of the line. Chia was nervous, but I stroked her fur to ease her fears (as well as my own apprehension). For a little while, I walked into the woods as the shuppets directed. Once the line of shuppets was near completion, I hustled forward to the end.

At the bottom of the ledge I stood on was a cottage. Very old fashioned but quaint and cozy-like. Strange how the shuppets led me there. But maybe there was something inside that would tie me to my fate. I slid down the rocks and went up to the cottage.

_Knock, knock!_

…..no answer. I grab the doorknob, twist it and push the door open, hearing a faint bell as I did. The place was only lit by two or three very dim lanterns. Everything seemed to be made of wood. Each piece of furniture, shelf and item was carved from wood. The entire house was filled with all sorts of unique wood knick-knacks. All of them had a similar theme; dragon. Dragon statues, dragon clock, dragon carvings on bowls, dragon toys….everything had dragons on them. Whoever lived there certainly had a favorite pokemon type.

"Hello?" I call into the house.

"Why hello!"

The voice came from the next room over. I go there to find a short old woman sweeping the floors (of a room filled with, guess what, dragon stuff). She seemed cheerful and upbeat, despite her somewhat unusual appearance and the murkrow on her shoulder. Though something seemed unusually off…what was it?

"Welcome to my shop!" The old woman greeted as she set her broom aside. "We've got all sorts of wood carvings for you to pick out!"

"Um yeah….listen, the blue shuppets led me…" I tried to tell her.

"Blue shuppets? Ahahaha! Haven't heard that fairy tale in years!" She laughed.

"Fairy tale!" The murkrow chirps.

"No I swear I saw bl….hold on…." I stare at the bird. "Did that murkrow just _talk_?"

"Talking murkrow? Why that's silly!" The old lady giggled, smacking her hand on the murkrow. "Now are you going to buy something young lady or not?"

My eyes soon caught something else moving. The broom was sweeping. On it's own. The old woman immediately swung around and grabbed it, trying to pretend to be sweeping the floor herself.

"I got it!" I suddenly realized. "You're a witch!"

"That's it! Get out of the store!" The witch tried to push me.

"Hey wait! I need your help!" I told her. "Can't you fix me up a spell or something?"

"Sorry! Unhappy customers in the past and I ain't takin another chance!" The witch shouted.

"Please! I really need your help!" I begged, trying to resist being shoved out the front door.

"If you're not buying something, then I need you to leave!" The witch refused.

"Wait! I want to buy something!" I lied.

"Really?" The witch stopped.

"…..no." I muttered.

The witch glared at me. Her hands rose, summoning two dozen knives into the air. She flicked her fingers and pointed all the knives straight at me and Chia from every angle. Not a good position to be in.

"Now are we going to leave with or without force?" The witch questioned. "Cause I don't want to mop your blood of the floor."

An idea came into my head. Wasn't sure how it'd work but worth a shot.

"Hold it!" I pulled out my ranger license from my pocket. "I'm Top Ranger number eleven, Kate River. I've saved lives, helped the environment and try to make the world a better place. I don't usually ask for anything in return but…please….just this once, can you help me?"

The witch studied over my license. And weird enough, so did the knives. The knives were pointed directly the witch now. It was kind of cool to know that kitchen utensils took my side. The witch wasn't liking it.

"Oh all right." The witch sighed. "What is it you need?"

"A spell that can make my friend like me, to change his heart." I answered.

She whisked her hand and the knives went back to their places. After snapping her fingers three times, the witch led me back to the other room. Only…it wasn't the same as before. Now it was exactly like a witch's room. A black cauldron over a fire, potions and weird stuff all over the place, spider webs on the walls…it was creepy yet cool. The witch went right over to the cauldron and clapped her hands, making the stuff inside light up neon green.

"Last time I did a spell like that was for a prince." The witch said.

"Easy on the eyes." Murkrow piped up. "Handsome prince….brawwwk!"

"He demanded I give him the strength of ten men. And he gave me…" The witch pulled out an amulet "…this, for a spell."

It was an old copper-colored stone, with a carving of dragon wings. Not hard to guess why she took _that _as payment.

"He wanted a spell that would change his fate." The witch told me.

"And…did he get what he was after?" I asked.

"Yes!" The witch replied. "And made off with a very nice mahogany shelf. One of my prized pieces of work."

She went over and inspected some of the ingredients, mumbling to herself. Then, looking as if inspiration struck, the witch grabbed a few round items and threw them into the cauldron. The liquid inside started to swirl, turning a stormy dark purple with thunder echoing off the walls. Right after, the witch tossed in a dried up thing (I chose not to ask…) and made the liquid turn a sparkling ocean blue.

"Brawwk!" The murkrow flew onto my head and yanked a piece of hair off. "Hair!"

"Hey!" I yelped.

Didn't have to be so hard. But the murkrow gave the piece of hair to the witch, who dropped it into the cauldron. The liquid changed again, making it looking like bubbling molten magma. Hopping onto a stool, the old woman grabbed her wooden spoon and started stirring the contents of the cauldron together that turned greenish yellow. She added a sprinkle of powder and then stood back.

"You might want to wear this." The old woman handed me a welding mask for myself and Chia.

I hesitated until I saw her and the murkrow put on theirs. Through the mask, I watched the cauldron start to glow white. For three or four seconds, everything flashed in an explosion of blinding bright light. When it was over, I followed the witch as she took off her mask.

"Almost done…" She murmered.

The witch grabbed tonsils and stuck them into the dark green liquid. She fished around for something but then pulled out a square. As the liquid melted off, I could slowly start to see what it was. It…was….

"…a brownie?" I blinked.

"Yes!" The witch put it on a cloth napkin for me and started wrapping it up.

"This is the spell that will change my friend's heart?" I ask.

"It is!" The witch handed me the wrapped brownie. "Just have your friend eat this. And voila! Your heart will change, as well as your fate!"

"Thank you!" I said, still a bit perplexed about the brownie.

"It's a pleasure." The witch nodded.

I exited the room, stuffed the brownie in my pocket and out the cottage with Chia. As I walked back through the woods, I felt a little relieved. Finally, the answer to my problems. If Keith ate this, then he'd like me! Ok so using a spell is cheating but I'm desperate. I want him to like me back and not think of me as…sigh….

"Chi? Chippa chippa?" Chia looked over at me.

"This is going to work, Chia." I tell her. "I can feel it."

Getting out of the forest was easier than I anticipated. I navigated through Pueltown and started back on my way to the Union. I could see the sun starting to go down. Everyone had to be back at the Union, Keith included. My assumption was he was still mad at me. But if I offered him sweets, he'd accept and eat it. Keith always loved pastries and sugary snacks.

There it was. The Union was within sight. Summoning up my courage, I started to make my way back to base.

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***stares at the pastry I'm eating***

**Er….ummm….yeah…**

***sets it down***

**While I go check where this pastry came from, you readers can wait for the next update! Don't worry! It won't be too long a wait!**


	6. The Transformation

**Can't think of anything else to say at the moment. So I will tell you readers something. Watching old pokemon cartoons while eating cold pizza at 3 AM in the morning is one of the best experiences you can ever witness. Weird but true.**

**Read, review and enjoy!**

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I walked up the steps that led to the Ranger Union. Hanging out by the door, leaning against the wall, was the redhead himself. Impatient as always but seemed distraught and uneasy. Keith immediately noticed me as I started walking towards him. Time to put my plan into action.

"Kate…" He started to say something.

"You were right." I cut him off. "The way I acted up…it was wrong. I'm wrong. Maybe I was just being too much of an idiot to actually see it."

Keith blinked.

"I shouldn't be trusting random strangers like that, especially boys. And you pulled me out of there before things could go down south." I tried to convince him.

"And I overreacted to the whole situation. Let my anger get the better of me." Keith sighed. "….sorry."

"I'm the one who should be sorry." I pulled the napkin from my pocket. "So I got you a little something to make up for the fight."

I handed the napkin over to Keith, who unwrapped it.

"A brownie?" He looked up at me.

"You like sweets right? Wasn't sure if brownies were on your list." I said.

"Yeah I love them!" Keith smiled. "Thanks, Kate!"

He picked up the brownie and tossed it in his mouth! Yes! He ate it!...although it seems he didn't like it. Keith made a face and struggled to swallow the brownie. I'm guessing it wasn't the best tasting brownie in the world. But with the ingredients in that, it wasn't terribly surprising.

"So…how do you feel?" I asked.

"Where did you get this brownie?" Keith coughed.

"I bought it." Bought, got it from a witch in the middle of abandoned woods, same thing.

"Ugh…" Keith shuddered. "I'm feeling a little sick…"

"Sick as in…?" I was hoping for 'love sick'.

"As in I want to barf." Keith looked at me like I was nuts before clutching his stomach. "Aw man…."

He slouched a little, his face a bit pale. Maybe I should've asked the witch about the added effects that spell would bring. With any hope, Keith would feel different. That spell had to work if I had any chance of him returning my feelings.

"Come on." I wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Let's get you back to our room for rest. You might have an upset stomach."

I helped him into the base, explaining to the other rangers and operators he was nauseous. We went up the stairs, running into Rhythmi, Sven and Wendy.

"Kate! Where were you? And…" Rhythmi turned to Keith, confused. "What's up with him?"

"He said he was feeling sick. Taking him back to the room before he ruins the flooring." I replied.

"Nice to see you care…" Keith mumbled. "What the hell was in that brownie?"

I shrugged, dare not revealing anything about it.

"Hope it's not food poisoning." Wendy said.

"I don't think it is." I told her. "But I'll keep an eye on him to be sure."

"Need help?" Sven offered.

"I got this." I responded. "I'll call if we need anything."

I managed to help Keith through the second floor and down to the dorm area. At the far end of the hallway, we reached our room. Keith was starting to look green. Wave was sitting on the bed; his attention focused on us.

"Buoy!" Wave was concerned. "Buoy…."

"Um…you feeling any different?" I questioned.

"Worse than the last time you asked!" Keith snapped and then moaning in pain.

I set him down on the bed, covering him with a blanket. Guilt snagged my throat…the spell might not have been the best idea. It was making him sick. And it was a moment of desperateness…a cry for help. I was just pathetic, wasn't I? The torn up picture in my pocket made the feeling deepen. I set the pieces on the dresser, trying to forget about the fight from earlier.

"Here. I'll go find some stomach medicine in the break room cabinets." I suggested. "Just try to rest and hold on tight till I get back. Maybe you'll feel different by then."

I got off the bed and took once last glance at Keith. He was starting to sweat, struggling through intense pain. I'd better hurry before things got worse. Quickly, I slipped out the door and started to walk down the hallway.

"AUGH!"

That was Keith! I hurried back and opened the door. Keith wasn't in bed. Instead, there the blanket was on the floor with something underneath. Had Keith fallen off the bed? Was that was the scream was about?...no…it sounded more like agony than anything.

"Keith…?" I cautiously stepped towards the blanket. "Are you ok?"

The blanket moved. I involuntarily stepped back a little. Keith started to stand up. Only…he was taller….his shape was different. The blanket slipped off, revealing what was underneath. It was a flygon….

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**(Keith)**

My head was feeling all kinds of foggy, pain stretched my muscles. That's when I heard the shriek. Kate's shriek. I turned to see she fallen back against the wall, aiming her capture styler right at me. She seemed…scared of me….What the heck was going on?

"K…Keith?" She whispered.

"_Yeah it's me."_ I tried to say. _"What's wrong?"_

Wait…why did my words only come out in growls? And why was she suddenly smaller? I looked down at my hands and froze. Those weren't _my _hands. They were someone else's claws. Pokemon claws. I slowly turned the mirror hanging on our wall.

"_WHAT THE HELL_!" I shouted.

That wasn't me! The reflection staring back at me was that of a flygon! Did….did I transform into a pokemon? But how? And why?

"Keith…" Kate had set aside the capture styler and slowly came towards me. "It's….it's you isn't it?"

"_Kate, do you know what happened?"_ I asked.

She seemed lost. Did she understand me at all? Wait…of course she couldn't. I was a pokemon and Kate was a human. Naturally, humans couldn't understand pokemon at all. I turned towards Wave and Chia. They were shocked at the whole thing as well. Did that mean I could understand what they were saying?

"Keith? Is that you?" I could hear Wave talking, which meant yes.

"It is." I replied. "But what's going on? How did I turn into this?"

"_You can understand me?"_ Wave was taken aback. "_Er…well I dunno what happened. We're both in the dark here on this one."_

"I can't believe this…" Kate collapsed onto the bed, looking distressed. "It's all my fault…."

"_Kate…" _I bend down to her level. _"It's not…"_

"I didn't think the brownie would have this effect…"

Hold on. The brownie? I was starting to feel the anger rising.

"_What did you do?"_ I glare at her.

She was startled at my expression and shrunk back.

"Wait! I was at this witch's house and asked for a spell to change your…ah…mind!" Kate waved her hands in defense. "I didn't mean to actually change you!"

"_So you went to see a witch just to win our stupid fight?" _I growled. _"Gee thanks! I bet changing me into a dragon solves __every__ problem, now doesn't it?"_

"Keith…I'm sorry…" She squeaked.

"_Sorry's not going to change me back."_ I muttered.

I was furious. How could she? I thought we were friends! But no. She goes to a witch and tries to use a stupid spell to change my mind about our fight. I should've known Kate wouldn't admit defeat so easily. She never did during these things. Apologizing was only her way of getting me to eat that damn brownie. No wonder it tasted horrible.

"Look. I'm sorry. And I can't change you back myself. But maybe we should go visit that witch again." Kate suggested. "If she gave you the spell, then she'd know how to break it."

I glanced over at her. She seemed truly sorry for what she did. Though I wasn't ready to accept it quite yet. I did agree with her idea and nodded my head.

"Good." She smiled for only a second. "Now we just have to get you out of here."

We both knew that I couldn't just waltz out there. True, pokemon did roam the base. But it wasn't normal to see a flygon walking around. The other rangers would know something was up. And I'd prefer to keep this entire thing a secret.

"How about the window?" Kate walked over and started to open it. "It'll barely fit you but we might be able to get away with it."

"_I'm on the second floor, lest you forget."_ I reminded. _"And here at the Union, it's falling two stories is a long way down."_

Kate looked out the window, checking to see if the coast was clear. She opened it up but suddenly realized the same thing I had upon looking down. The look I shot her got the message clear across.

"Ok I don't know any way else to get out of here without being seen!" Kate objected.

I suppose I had no choice. After a quick breath in, I jumped onto the window ledge. Just as I was about to fall, something inside me stirred. Like a little voice or something pumping in my blood, telling me what to do naturally. Barely thinking about it, I started flapping my wings. I leapt off the window….and was flying! I was actually flying!

"Keith!" Kate gasped. "You can fly!"

This was awesome! And not even that hard! Catching the wind on my wings, I could easily soar through the air! I guess being a dragon wasn't all bad! Buuutttt….still, I'd prefer to be human. I hovered next to the window, nodding my head towards my back.

"You want me to get on?" Kate asked, surprised.

"_What? You were going to take a train?"_ I sarcastically replied.

She got onto the window sill and carefully climbed on, with Chia and Wave on her shoulders. None of them weighed that much. I could easily fly with them all on board. With a steady motion, I flew up into the air and started to soar across Almia.

"The witch was deep in Vien Forest." Kate told me.

Then Vien Forest was our next stop.

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**So this would be my second fanfic where I have Keith transform into a pokemon by a spell. Seems familiar doesn't it? XD**

**Our next update will fly down from the sky in just a little while! Keep your seatbelts on, this is a non-stop ride to awesomeness!**


	7. Riddle and Love

**Welcome back, ladies and germs, to the fanfiction! I am your host, Sky and we...uh...wow I am totally at a lost here. Heh... *reads cue cards*...er...Read, review, enjoy!**

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**(Kate)**

Keith landed onto deep in the Vien Forest, around the area where that witch was. His landing was a bit shaky but considering he was transformed into a flygon just moments ago….sigh. Visiting that witch was the worst mistake I ever made. Wait…no. The blue shuppets led me to the witch for a reason. So leave it to me to screw up that reason and have my best friend turned into a dragon.

"Aw man…Keith must really hate me…" I thought.

His look was serious, determined to get back to normal as soon as possible. And I would make sure that would happen. My fault Keith was a flygon. I had to make things right. Even if red would never forgive me; if he hated me for eternity.

"Ok so the house should be around here somewhere." I mumbled, looking around. "Better find it before sky gets dark."

Keith's growl came off as impatient and annoyed. Only natural. I ignored it and kept searching. Hey wait…that rock….I knew that rock! That was where the blue shuppet had appeared! I remembered the trail!

"This way!" I started running, with Keith and the other pokemon following.

Past the trees, over the hills and up to the ledge. There it was. The witch's cottage. Just as I remembered it only some time ago. Why did the air feel mysteriously empty? Nevermind. I slid down the ledge and up to the door of the witch's cottage. Keith flew down with the pokemon on his back.

BAM!

Why bother knocking? I decided to kick that witch's door down and march on into the room. But no witch. The cottage was completely dark, with no sign of that old hag or her murkrow.

"You gotta be kidding me…" I sigh.

FLASH!

As soon as I spoke, the cauldron came to life again. It was glowing a weird neon green. The light bathed the room in a spooky aura. I saw a wooden table (with dragon carvings) stand next to the pot, each holding a vial of strange liquid and a label. A note said to pour the vials into the cauldron, depending on who it was for.

"For customers of the shop" A pink liquid.

"_For my 'special' friends"_ A purple, syrup-like liquid. (I assumed 'special' meant witch)

"_For the ranger who bought my spell"_ A blue, sparkly liquid.

I took the blue one and poured it into the cauldron. The pot rumbled for a split moment, then coughed up a gray smoke. There was a hologram of the witch's head, hovering in air. It seemed to be a recorded message, like those automated phone calls.

"_Why hello ranger! Glad you stopped by because there's something I forgot to tell you about!"_

To tell me the potion was a dud and changed my friend's body, not his heart? Gee I already figured that out.

"_There's a method to canceling that spell, if you're not willing to through with it. I have the cure written down in riddle. Ahem. 'Mend the bond, torn by pride. Open up the feelings, once cast aside'."_

Wait, what?

"_I'll repeat it again to make sure you've got it. 'Mend the bond, torn by pride. Open up the feelings, once cast aside'."_

How the heck was I supposed to figure that out? What did it mean? Gah! Why do witches write things down in riddles? It makes no sense at all!

"Also there's a deadline. You've got until the second sunset. That's when the curse becomes irreversible. Permanent."

No…no no no no no….

"I wish you good luck! Hope you find what you're looking for!"

The holographic image disappeared. Facing Keith, I could see he was horrified as I was. If we couldn't solve this riddle, then he'd be a flygon forever. And this was_ my_ doing.

"Keith…" My voice was shaking. "We….we can figure this out…"

He was distraught, barely hearing me.

"Please. Let me make this up to you. I'll do whatever it takes to return you to human form." I vowed. "I promise."

No response.

"…Keith?" I touched his claws.

He looked down at me. Those eyes…still green and full of life like before. At least the curse didn't take every part of him away. But Keith's eyes told me everything. Sadness over being a flygon, worry he might stay that way….and disbelief that his own best friend and ranger partner would do something like this to him.

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We decided to set up camp in a safer area of the forest. It was night and there was no sense trying to make out the riddle then. Better to do it in the morning. Chia and Wave were sleeping next to each other.

"Keith?"

The entire way, Keith hardly paid any attention to me. Serves me right. I've been such a jerk to him.

"Um…good night." I said.

His back was turned, ignoring me. Keith quickly fell asleep. Meanwhile, I couldn't. Impossible to.

"_Hey, don't be friends with her! Be friends with me!"_

I was seeing memories…sunshine filled times I had with Keith.

"_I promise to be the best ranger ever!"_

"_Come on, Kate! Let's sneak out for a little while."_

"…_hey! If it isn't Kate! I didn't clue in at all! So the other top ranger is you!"_

Those memories seemed to be all I had left. Especially if I were to lose Keith…

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(Keith)

I felt a cold mist of water spray the back of my check. Shivering, I wake up. Took me a moment to realize I wasn't in my human body. Wave was sitting right beside me.

"_What's up?"_ I yawned.

"_It's Kate."_ Wave replied.

I look over to the spot where Kate was sleeping. Only…she wasn't there.

"_Where'd she go?"_ I asked, praying she didn't abandon us.

"_She's nearby. But I think something's wrong."_ Wave told me. _"Maybe you should go check if Kate's ok."_

"_Thanks buddy."_ I said.

At first I wasn't entirely sure where to look. All of a sudden…something flickered on. A reaction similar to when I first started to fly. I could detect certain scents. It wasn't like smelling anything good or bad; more like telling who was who and where they were. Kate's scent I knew particularly well (probably from being together so much) and I could tell she was close. I followed it and found her overlooking a ledge, shaking.

"_Kate?"_ I move towards her.

My feet knock against some rocks, making slight sounds. Kate whirled around, startled to find me. Her eyes…they were moist and filled with all sorts of emotions.

"Sorry…" Kate whispered. "Did I wake you? I'll…I'll go back to bed in a moment. Just needed a breather."

Lie. She was clearly upset, bottling it all up. A compelling feeling made me come over, lying down right next to Kate.

"_Kate, you can always talk to me."_ I stared right into her beautiful blue eyes. _"I care about you and I'm here for you, no matter what. Please don't keep this all to yourself."_

I had no idea if my message was conveyed. But Kate suddenly clung to me and started crying. Not small sobs or silent tears. Wailing, bawling out a flood of tears that streaked down her face. She was emptying the negativity that had filled her heart. Poor girl. Must've been carrying that heavy burden since this entire mess began. I was concerned about myself but I never realized that Kate had feelings too. Clearly she felt guilty and horrible about this mistake, trying to patch everything up. Of course I had to ignore her and treat her so badly. If anything, I made things worse for her.

My heart….augh….why was it pounding so hard? It slammed against my chest over and over again. I could feel my face burn intensely, getting hotter by the second. Why did my stomach lurch like a roller coaster, ready to puke? This feeling….this powerful emotion….it hurt so much but felt so good. Like an addicting drug. I wanted to stop but to also get hooked, to keep going. I was being driven crazy! Going insane! Falling deeper and deeper within this sensation…..falling….

…in…..love…

I was falling in love. With Kate.

Kate…I stared down at her. She really was gorgeous. With those two cerulean jewels that were called eyes, lighting up that adorable face of hers. But while it was the looks that pulled me in, her spirit was what made me stay captivated. Sweet, smart, funny, fiery…every inch of her, I loved it all. Even her flaws made her irresistible.

When did like become love? Or…was it always this way? It felt like this had been inside my being since the first day I've laid eyes on Kate. Through the good and bad times, we became closer and closer. My only desire was to see her happy, to protect her from any sort of harm. To see that smile over and over again….the one that could make me melt.

"_Kate…"_ I murmured. _"I love you."_

Kate kept crying. I wrapped my arms around her, cradling her close to me. Right….I was a dragon. She couldn't understand a word I said. And if I stayed a flygon, she never would. All the more reason to break this spell. I had to tell Kate how I felt.

Maybe there was a fear. A little part of me that warned she might not feel the same way, that Kate would reject me. But every other cell in my body screamed at me, to claim her as my own. That she was mine and only mine; that I had to make sure she knew it too. Oh Kate….

"Keith?" She looked up. "Thanks."

"_Anything for you."_ I sighed.

"I promise I'll get this stupid curse off of you." Kate mumbled.

"_And I promise not to make you cry like this ever again_." I vowed. _"I swear on my own life to make sure you're safe and happy."_

It was late. Feeling a bit tired (and suspecting Kate was the same), I lifted her onto my back and got us both back to camp. By the time we reached the area, Kate had already fallen asleep. I decided not to wake her. She'd need all the energy she could gather when morning comes. And she….she looked like an angel when she slept. Slowly, I let myself drift off to sleep too.

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**Thus we have our tragic love! Keith finally realizes his love but can't confess. A strong motivation to break the curse and return to human form! Will that happen? Will Keith figure out the riddle in time? Only you can find out by reading on! Next update's on its way!**


	8. Dragon Instincts

**A little short this chapter but it explains something behind dragons and is an important scene that came from the movie. **

**Read, review and roar!...I mean enjoy!...heh….**

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**(Keith)**

Kate and I woke up early, refreshed and ready to tackle the day. Well….after breakfast. She volunteered to go search for berries with Chia while Wave and I sat down at a nearby river. Arceus…she looked so beautiful…the way the light struck her eyes….

"_You are so in love with her."_

I spun around to see Wave chuckling.

"_WHAT!"_ I exclaimed, feeling my face burn up.

"_The way you're looking at her says it all."_ Wave said. _"You finally realized you've fallen in love with Kate."_

"…_yeah?"_ I stumble over how to respond.

"_You're starting to act like a real dragon."_ Wave told me.

"_Wha…?"_ I blink. _"How so?"_

"_Humans and pokemon have their ways of conveying love and emotions. But dragons are entirely different."_ Wave explained. _"Dragons mate for life. Only one significant other that they'll ever have feelings for. When they fall in love, it's the real deal."_

A pause.

"_It's enscribed into their instincts and DNA from what I understand."_ Wave went on. _"A male dragon will protect their mate at any given cost and make sure they'll happy. They're extremely loyal and proud." _

"_And do you have a point?"_ I questioned.

"_You've gotten their instincts to fly and track scents. I'm not too surprised you inherited the love aspect as well."_ Wave finished.

"_Are you saying that if I love Kate…then she's my….erk….mate?"_ I assumed.

"_Probably."_ Wave said.

"…_.well….maybe…"_ I sighed. _"But I think Kate would prefer someone who's human over a dragon. Even if I tell her I love her, she can't understand a single word I say."_

"_That's why we're breaking that curse, Keith."_ Wave said, determined. _"I'll help you every step of the way."_

"_Thanks."_ I grin. _"By the way, how do you know so much about dragons?"_

"_Hey I lived in Olive Jungle before you came along. Lots of dragon friends of mine lived there."_ Wave replied.

I drank a little bit of the river water before remembering something.

"_Wait a sec…I'm not the only one with romance problems here."_ I said.

"_Hm?"_ Wave looked at me suspiciously.

"_You're in love with Chia!"_

Knew it. Wave's face was going red. The tables were turned.

"_Ack! How did you…?"_ Wave tried to ask.

"_I always thought something was up. You hang around Chia and seem annoyed when she's with Zap."_ I told him.

"…_.alright I admit it."_ Wave confessed. _"I do love her. But she has a crush on Zap, not me."_

"_Then why don't you tell Chia how you feel?"_ I questioned.

"_She's a better fit for Zap. They're both electric types."_ Wave answered.

"_You may not be an electric type. But you're still a great pokemon."_ I say. _"I'm sure Chia would like you, no matter what pokemon you are."_

Silence. Kate and Chia were starting to emerge from the trees, carrying all sorts of berries.

"_When I'm human, I'm telling Kate I love her. Maybe by then you'll say something to Chia."_

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**(Kate)**

I ate breakfast and contacted the union. Luckily I managed to secure another day off with Keith to 'take care of some stuff'. Thank heavens no questions were asked. Rhythmi said things were going slow around Almia anyways. She would've taken another day off with me but she was covering for Marcus, who was out visiting relatives in Unova.

"_Mend the bond, torn by pride. Open up the feelings, once cast aside."_

What did it mean? I tried to analyze the first part of the riddle 'Mend the bond, torn by pride'. Mend something? Didn't that mean to fix or repair? So I was supposed to repair some sort of bond. A bond that was torn by pride? Now all I had to figure out was what bond the riddle was talking about. It'd at least help progress.

Getting a headache from thinking too hard, I went for a drink of water. I could see Keith spacing out, from the corner of her eye. With a smirk, I reached in the cold water and splashed him.

"Gotcha!" I giggled, seeing his shock expression.

His face changed to devious. Keith's tail dipped into the water and sent a bigger wave of water to counter-attack.

"Hey!" I laughed, blocking with my arms.

We started splashing each other, Chia and Wave jumping into the fray. I was becoming more soaked than Keith was. Though to be fair, he had bigger claws and a tail to splash with. One of which knocked me straight into the river, drenching me entirely.

"Buoy buoy!" Wave swam right over, looking like he was having a good time.

"You and Chia having fun?" I stroked his head.

"Buoy!" Wave happily replied.

I saw Chia had climbed onto one of the rocks and hopped over to the one near us. Where was Keith? I expected him to dive right in after us.

"Hey Keith!"

…why was he leaving? Keith was starting to go back into the trees, ditching us at the river. Confused, I swam back to shore and scrambled after him. Chia and Wave dashed at my side, looking concerned.

"Keith? Hey if you wanted to leave, all you had to do was ask." I said.

He ignored me and continued walking.

"Keith? Hello?" I tried again.

Still no response. What did I do to tick him off?

"Keith!" I grab his shoulder.

Keith's claws smacked right into me, knocking me a few feet away. He spun around and gave a low, menacing growl. Keith towered over me, threateningly. His eyes…that wasn't Keith's eyes at all. They were black, voidless of spirit and emotion. Something had overcome Keith. With a roar, he raised his claw and was about to strike.

"KEITH!" I cried out.

The claw stopped just inches before reaching my throat. I watched the black fade away, back to Keith's original green. There was a little pain which turned to confusion and shock upon seeing me. He backed off, looking a little worried.

"Keith…" I started getting up. "That wasn't you at all….you're…"

I hesitated, placing a hand on his head.

"You're starting to lose yourself….I think you're becoming more like an actual dragon…"

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**You like? Cause we've got a 30-day trial on these chapters and if you don't like it, we'll give you absolutely nothing! Expect it in the next update that is soon to arrive!**


	9. North

…**.hm? Totally didn't see you guys there! Geez, when did you sneak here? Oh well. Enjoy the following chapter that contains your daily recommended awesomness followed by a boost of epic. **

**Read, review and enjoy!...cause I say so!**

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**(Keith)**

For a moment, I hadn't felt like myself. It was like something cold washed over me and put my consciousness to sleep. Gah…the feeling's so hard to describe. But hearing Kate's voice woke me up in an instant. What's the next thing I see? She's on the ground, terrified, with my claws about to strike down on her. Thank arceus I hadn't….

That curse posed a bigger threat than I thought. If I'm becoming more of a dragon, then I might lose myself entirely. I'll be gone. Which means I can't be with Kate anymore…I can't see that sweet smile of hers ever again. I'd never be able to tell her that I love her. All the more reason to return to normal.

"_Shaaaa…"_

We both look over at the trees. At the edge of the mist, there's a shuppet. But…why is it blue? And motioning to follow it? Even as a pokemon myself, I still couldn't understand what it said.

"The blue shuppet!" Kate gasped.

"You know it or something?" I asked.

"I've read them in stories. Blue shuppets are supposed to lead you to your fate." Kate explained. "Yesterday they showed me to the witch's cottage."

_They_ were the ones who took Kate to that place? Those shuppets caused this entire mess? Then why trust them again? I was ready to scrape those ghost pokemon to shreds…

"KEITH! STOP!"

Kate stood between me and the shuppet some feet away. She must've known I didn't trust them.

"Please Keith…" Kate begged. "I think we can trust them this time. Please."

Tch…those eyes. I was never able to resist them before. Certainly not again. With a sigh, I relax and show her I'm not going to attack. So we both go up to the shuppet. Upon close range, it poofs away. Another shuppet appeared a few feet away, with more forming a line through the misty woods. We had a trail to follow.

At first we walked. But the line seemed to be a long one. It stretched over the river and deep into the woods. I managed to fly everyone up over a cliff but had them stay there. I'd handle getting where we needed to go. The line of shuppets seemed to be leading us north, towards…

"Hia Valley!" Kate exclaimed.

She was right. We flew over the cave and into the dark, snowy tundra. As a human, I could totally withstand any sort of blizzard. But dragon? This place was freezing! Hated it! No dragon in their right mind would call that place home! I tried to focus on the shuppet again, watching the blue glows from the sky appear and vanish.

"_Keith!"_ Chia pointed ahead. _"Look where the shuppets lead us!"_

I looked ahead. There it was. Almia Castle. No one had been there in centuries. Why would the shuppets lead us there? What did this castle have to do with our fate? Kate seemed determined to find out so I'd go with it. Carefully, I managed to land on the snow (which stung my feet…yikes this place is frigid!). From what I could see, the castle had been wrecked some time ago. Lots of collapsed areas and sprawled ruins.

Kate hopped off and started inspecting the place. I would've done the same if my joints weren't frozen. Dragons clearly weren't meant to live in the cold. Kate seemed to notice it too. She found some sort of tattered rug from nearby and threw it over my back and wings.

"Forgot that dragons are vulnerable to places like this." Kate said. "Are you alright?"

I nod my head, reassuring her. And there's that smile again. Arceus…it drove me crazy! The warm feeling creeping up my face was enough to melt ice.

"_Keith?"_ Chia looked over me as Kate began to walk around the destroyed grounds. _"You ok?"_

"_He's just warming up to a certain someone."_ Wave chuckled.

"_Huh?"_ Chia blinked.

"Keith happens to be head over heels in love right now." Wave told her.

"_WAVE!"_ I snapped, growling at him.

"_Wait…."_ Chia gasped. _"It wouldn't be Kate….would it?"_

I was quiet for a moment, wondering how to respond.

"_Yeah."_ I sighed.

Chia's eyes widened. The stunned pachirisu stared at me for the longest of times.

"_Chia?"_ Wave pawed her shoulder.

"_It's not that big a deal." _I assured.

"_No this__ is__ a big deal!"_ Chia said. _"Bigger than you think! You have no idea what's really going on!"_

"_What do you mean?"_ I asked.

"_Kate likes you!"_ Chia confessed.

…

"_No way…"_ I whispered.

"_It's the reason she put that spell on you."_ Chia's voice grew small.

"_Hold on. I thought it was supposed to change his mind." _Wave said.

"_Kate lied. It was supposed to change hearts."_ Chia told him. _"Kate asked the witch for a spell to make you like her, Keith. She was desperate and thought you'd never feel the same way about her."_

All of this was because she liked me? So Kate had feelings for me after all. Which meant….in a way…..she was my mate! Yes! Oh thank heavans…aw man never before had I felt like this! A rush of excitement, relief and pure joy. And a fierce determination. I _will_ get back to human form. And I _will_ tell Kate I love her.

A shriek broke off the feeling. That was Kate. I knew her voice anywhere.

"KATE!" I dash into the castle grounds.

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(Kate)

Ow….rough landing. I had been looking over the frozen parts of the castle when I heard the floor crack. Next thing I know, I've landed in some sort of dark chamber. My only light is the hole where I fell. Keith looks down…was he worried? Looked like it. But that wasn't like him at all.

"I'm fine!" I give the thumbs up. "No real damage done!"

There's debris all over the place but also a lot less ice and snow. Curious, I venture deeper inside the cavern to take a look. This looked like a throne room at one point in history, with the tall chairs at the back of the room all worn down. I narrowly avoid the armored skeleton. From the looks of this place, it had been under attack and suffered a lot of casualties. Question was what caused the collapse of this place? What intruder attacked the castle? All I could see was gigantic scratches that seemed a bit familiar. Couldn't place where.

I wasn't sure what caught my attention but I turned to the left and found something. It was…a tapestry? I think that's what they're called. Like a portrait made of woven yarn. But something slashed through it. One the right side were three boys (red, blue and yellow) and the left contained a loner, a darkly dressed boy. There were names under all of them, though only the dark boy's name was visible, Mer'du. I realized.

This curse happened before.

The story the old lady told me about those princes…the prince the witch told me about…it was related! Mer'du must've asked for that spell to take over the kingdom. But he caused the collapse of his castle and turned into a dragon completely. This was the full extent of this ancient curse. And what Keith could potentially become if I didn't figure out that riddle in time.

"Grrrrrrrrrrr…"

A growl…but it wasn't Keith's. Not even close. I slowly look towards the throne area. Red eyes glared at me through the darkness. But as the eyes came closer, the light showed me the body. A body of a salamence I knew all too well.

"Mer'du." I gasp.

I took a step back. Mer'du slithered closer towards me, ready to pounce and tear me to pieces. For a small moment, neither of us move. All of a sudden, with a ear-piercing roar, the dragon charged right at me. I barely dodged his claw swipe. Under normal circumstances, I would've captured him. But the readings on my styler were going nuts! It wouldn't allow me to capture Mer'du. My only option was to run, which I didn't hesitate to go.

Keith called out from the hole above. With some luck, I evaded the incoming strikes and try to get closer to the exit. I scrambled up the hill of bricks and skeleton parts. Keith's claw was held out to me and I reached for it. Mer'du tries to fire a hyper beam right at me. Keith grabbed me, threw me onto his back and flies off just as Mer'du's attack went off.

"That was way too close!" I clung onto Keith's back, feeling safer than ever. "Thanks buddy!"

Keith gave a reassuring growl as he continued to fly through the blizzard. It seems we lost Mer'du but Keith didn't stop till we were out of the tundra.

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**Next update, coming your way! **


	10. Loss of Control

**WOOHOO! State Fair rocks! Guess who won herself a little Pikachu doll? Carried it around all day, with some people noticing right off the bat! Am I awesome or what? Better review, read and enjoy dem chapters! Get along little miltanks!**

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**(Kate)**

The sun was starting to set. A whole day had passed so quickly….which meant not a lot of time was left until the next sunrise. We needed to figure out that riddle. _"Mend the bond, torn by pride. Open up the feelings, once cast aside."_ But after the visit to the castle and seeing that torn tapestry, I had an idea.

"Keith?" I turned to face him. "You remember that picture I ripped?"

Keith nodded, though still a bit chilled from the bitter cold.

"What if we fix it? That would mend the bond!" I told him.

He seemed to agree with me. But as Keith tried to flap his wings, I saw him cringe. Carefully, I inspected his back. Poor guy…his wings were still a bit frozen from being in the snow. We'd have to get back to the base by walking. It'd take more time but it was our only option.

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**(Keith)**

Damn wing. They were taking forever to thaw! I didn't want to waste anymore time as a flygon. Maybe flying was cool but I'd still depend on a staraptor than stay the way I was. Sooner I went back to being human, the better. And the sooner I could talk to Kate again.

Kate…I could tell her a million times that I loved her. But at the moment, she couldn't hear me. And I know she liked me! This was a pain worse than transforming into a dragon (that itself wasn't a very pleasant experience). There had to be some way of getting my message across.

Hold up. I could smell flowers. Yes! There was a rose bush nearby. Perfect! Without Kate noticing, I managed to go over to the bush. Tch…stupid dragon claws. Made it impossible to grab a flower. Had no other option but to use my mouth. Ignoring the darn thorns, I picked off the most vibrant rose of the bunch and went back to Kate. I tapped her shoulder with my tail and dropped the rose into her hand.

"Is…is this for me?" She gasped, surprised.

"_It is."_ I replied.

"Keith!" Kate hugged me. "Thanks for being so nice!"

"_Kate…."_ I stare down at those gorgeous eyes. _"I love you."_

She didn't hear me. And leave it to her not to get what the rose meant. But….it still felt amazing to see Kate look so happy. That smile, those dazzling eyes, the lit up expression when she got the flower…what a girl….

"_Smooth moves, Romeo."_ Wave commented. _"Sorry the plan failed."_

"_It's alright."_ I sighed. "_I'll tell her again when I'm human again. That won't be much longer."_

"_We hope so."_ Chia said. _"Union wouldn't be the same without you."_

"_No kidding."_ Wave agreed. _"The only good thing that came out of this chaos was being able to talk to you."_

"_I admit that was cool."_ Keith smirked. _"It feels like I understand you two a little better."_

"Keith! We're here!"

Sure enough, there was the Union. Lights were on, easily visible through the darkness of night that started to descend upon Almia. We snuck around to the back and flew up to the window, with everyone on my back. Thankfully Rhythmi wasn't there. We crawled through the window, flipped the light on and Kate started searching.

"The picture's on my dresser. All we need now is something to fix it." Kate rummaged everywhere. "Damn it…where's the tape?"

Ten minutes later, the room was a little messed up and there was still no tape. Not even glue. I could've sworn we kept some around. And I knew neither of us could go looking around the Union without being seen.

"Hmm…all we have is Rhythmi's sowing stuff." Kate held up some thread and a needle. "But it'll have to do."

No other options I guess. ACK! Oh no….no no no no no….the feeling was back again! That cold feeling, the dragon part of me, was trying to take over. I…had…to…fight it! It was like an intense brain freeze! I couldn't let it try to hurt Kate!

"Keith?" Kate noticed. "Keith are you ok?"

I tried to hold on…but the feeling became stronger and stronger. Soon it became too powerful to resist. I felt it sweep across me, like a thick blanket, and darken my world.

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**(Kate)**

Keith looked like he was in pain, struggling to fight something on the inside. I knew. His dragon self was trying to come back out. The curse was getting to be more permanent in time. And time was something we didn't have.

"…keith?" I whispered.

He was gone, at least for the moment. The green eyes I adored went black again and held a thirst for blood.

"Kate!" Sven burst into the room. "What…..the…..hell….."

Brilliant. How was I supposed to explain this? But before I could get a word, the dragon slammed me against the wall and held me by the throat. It was trying to choke me…to kill me. Keith! Wake up! Quick! PLEASE!

"Hey get off her!" Sven ran over but was smacked by the dragons tail. "Kate!"

The dragon swiped my face, leaving a scratch on the right side of my face. I could immediately feel blood starting to trickle. With a small whimper, I waited for the final blow. Only…it didn't come. The black eyes were going back to green again. Keith was back.

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**(Keith)**

I heard a whimper that was none other than Kates. It brought be back to reality again. Arceus no….I almost killed her…Kate was almost murdered because of me. I let go of Kate's throat, with her gasping for air. There was a single scratch on the far right side of her face. How could I hurt this sweet girl?

"Mer'du!"

Sven? He was staring at me from across the room, whacked against the wall. Damn it, I caused such a mess. All this trouble had been my fault. Even losing control for a moment meant giving everyone such a hard time. Kate most of all.

"Kate!" Sven grabbed her arm and pulled her behind his back. "I'm not letting you get hurt again! Not by this thing."

And I wouldn't hurt her anymore. With a heavy heart, I took off and flew out the window.

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**More romance and we're coming up on the big scene of the movie. How will things unfurl? We've got another chapter just mosey'in on down!**


	11. Locked In

**Anyone for tennis? **

**wait…*reads court summoned paper* Oh right. Hit too many people upside the head during the last few times. Which only proves to you all I am not a sporty kind of person.**

**SERVE! Read, review and enjoy! Oh and keep a look out for the special point-of-view exclusive to this chapter!**

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**(Kate)**

Just like that, Keith was gone. That look in his eyes….he was terrified. He thought he actually hurt me. Oh Keith…

"Kate!" Sven ran over, helping me up. "You ok?"

"I'm fine." I told him, Wave and Chia climbing on my shoulders.

"Aw man I can't believe Mer'du came back." Sven sighed.

"Mer'du? No that wasn't Mer'du!" I said. "That was Ke…"

"If he gets into Pueltown, he'll wreck havoc all over." Sven interrupted. "We've got to go after him!"

"Er…right!" I agreed. "We'll capture him and try to tame him!"

"Kate…" Sven looked over at me with a serious expression. "Mer'du has killed many people and pokemon over the years, you included. There's been recent sightings that were tracked by me and a few of the Union members. We've agreed that if we see him, we have to euthanize him."

"WHAT!" I exclaimed. "But we can't kill him!"

"I'm sorry." Sven looked away. "Mer'du is a danger to everyone and in the long run, we'll be doing more good than bad."

"That wasn't Mer'du, Sven! Mer'du's a salamence!" I tried to tell him. "Please don't kill that flygon!"

Sven wasn't listening. He looked out the window, focused on what was on his mind. After a moment, Sven looked at me with a determined face.

"Sorry but I'm doing this for your own good." Sven said.

I couldn't respond. Instead Sven was force-pushing me out of my room. He opened the closet on the other side of the hallway.

"I'm keeping you here till everythings safe again." Sven shoved me inside. "Don't worry. We'll make sure to take care of Mer'du."

"SVEN WAIT!"

Slam! Click!

Damn! He locked the door. And that sneak slipped my styler off when I wasn't looking. I pounded on the door as loud as I can.

"SVEN! Someone! Let me out of here!" I screamed. "Please stop! Don't kill him!"

I kept screaming and pounding but to no use. Sven would've gathered several other rangers and would go after Mer'du. Only it wasn't Mer'du that Sven saw. That was Keith. And if they got ahold of him….

"Keith…" Tears started streaming down my face. "No ….please no…KEITH!"

My knees started feeling like jelly. I slid down to the floor, unable to do anything but cry.

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**(Special: Chia)**

I never saw Kate looking so upset before. She must've really cared about Keith. And if we didn't get out of the closet in time, Keith could be killed. Or the spell would never be broken. But how? How do we get out of the closet in time?

"_Chia!"_

I found Wave had climbed over some boxes and was near the top of the ceiling. He opened a small vent entrance, one that we could squeeze through.

"_Wave, you're a genius!"_ I said, starting to go after him.

"_Let's go!"_ He responded.

I leapt from box to box, supply to supply and all sorts of crazy stuff. Once I reached Wave's point, we ducked into the small vent together. Now all we had to do was crawl through to the entrance vent in the hallway. Then unlock the door, get Kate out and go save Keith!

"_Er…Chia?" _

I glanced at Wave. He seemed hesitant, nervous.

"_Yeah?"_ I blinked.

"_Well…I promised Keith I would do something and um…"_ Wave stumbled over his words. _"Maybe I should. I should tell you the truth…"_

"_What are you talking about?"_ I questioned.

"…_..Chia…..I'm falling in love with you."_ Wave confessed.

….

"_I know I'm not an electric type or a powerful pokemon like Zap."_ Wave told me. _"But I still care about you. And I want to be by your side. You're great to be with and you have a 'shocking' personality."_

….

"_I…I just wanted to let you know how I felt."_ Wave looked down. _"We better get back to rescuing Kate…"_

"_Wait!"_ I stopped while Wave walked on ahead slowly. _"Wave? Aren't you going to wait for my answer?"_

Wave paused but didn't look back.

"_I love you too." _I said.

"_You do?"_ Wave spun around.

"_Mhm."_ I blushed. _"You were my first love. But I thought you'd only like water type pokemon. So I tried to make myself fall for someone else, like Zap."_

I could see Wave tearing up. Not exactly the manliest pokemon but he was a real sweetheart. No one else was really like him. He was different from any other pokemon I've met and I liked everything about him. This was a pokemon I'd stand by with forever. Wave came to me and nudged my forehead lovingly.

"_Thank you."_ he whispered.

"_Once this is all over, I'd be honored to be your mate."_ I said.

"_You mean it?"_ Wave looked up.

"_Of course."_ I replied. _"I wouldn't want to be with anyone else."_

"_Then we shall."_ Wave nodded. _"First things first, we have to get our love-bird rangers back together."_

"_Off we go!"_ I giggled.

In a minute or two, we reached the right vent and opened it up. The drop down wasn't as high as I anticipated. I could hear the small sobs, leading me to the closet door. Oh…..right. The doorknob was high for us small pokemon. Didn't think this far.

"_Allow me."_ Wave flipped me onto his back.

"_Thank you kindly."_ I told him.

He stood up nice and tall. I managed to scramble up and jump to the doorknob. Not a hard lock. All I had to do was just twist and open! Aha! Success!

"_Kate!"_ I leap down and push the door open.

She gasped and looked at us in shock. Her face was a little red from all the crying.

"_Come on!"_ Wave poked his head in. _"We've got a redhead to save!"_

Kate wiped the remaining tears away and smiled.

"You guys are great partner pokemon." She chuckled.

"_Onwards and outwards!"_ I cheered.

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**Off to save Keith! Can they reach him before the rangers do?**

**Our next update is coming soon to you all!**


	12. Battle of Dragons

**This took a lot longer to update since I needed the right fight scene. Hard time figuring it out.**

**But I bring you the epic battle! Read, review and, of course, enjoy!**

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**(Kate)**

Know how hard it is to sew a picture together and run at the same time? Nearly. Freakin. IMPOSSIBLE. I barely knew how to sew in the first place! Ugh! I cut my fingers so many times! But saving Keith would make the pain worth while. I had to save him. Not much time was left and the ranger union was looking. News probably spread through Pueltown.

"Kate!"

Grady, Dirk and Mac? And all their pokemon? What are the odds of running into them again in Altru Park? And at such a late hour?

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked.

"We're out trying to find that flygon!" Grady replied.

"We're going to try capturing it. If not, we'll let the rangers handle it." Mac added.

A gulp escaped from my knotted up throat.

"Listen, have you seen where it or the rangers went?" I questioned.

"We just found a dragon scale." Dirk held up a green scale, Keith's. "It might have flown east. Rangers are spread out over Pueltown trying to get some answers."

"Guys I need a huge favor." I said. "Please tell the rangers that the dragon went south to Vientown."

"What? Why would we do that?" Dirk stared at me weirdly.

"Because that dragon they're chasing is the wrong one! That green one's mine!" I answered. "And besides, I saw the blue one that's causing this chaos went into the Vienforest. If it gets to the smaller towns, it'll cause a whole lot of destruction."

Please believe me….please believe me….PLEASE….

"Sounds reasonable." Mac shrugged.

"Vien forest it is!" Grady nodded. "Let's go find those rangers!"

"Yeah!" The other two cheered.

The three boys started running down to Pueltown.

"Good luck with your dragon!" One of them, unsure which, called.

I waved goodbye before racing to the east. Chroma Highlands, Keith might be there. It'd make some sense. He went there sometimes to clear his head or be alone. With Chia and Wave at my side, I raced through Altru Park and through the trees.

"Keith…" I whispered. "Please hold on…."

No one else was along the path leading the valley. Good. Less danger, questions and things to worry about. Another green scale told me that Keith was definitely up this way. I had to find him. The boy I liked was in trouble and if I didn't do something, I'd lose him forever. I'd never let him become fully dragon.

Chroma Highlands was dark and sort of spooky. I ran through the rocky cliffs and twists till I reached a large, circular part of land. There were stone statues surrounding it. Weird. Trying to catch my breath, I scanned the area. No sign of Keith.

"Chi….chippa…." Chia was trembling, seeming to be nervous.

Wave turned serious, on guard. The pokemon were detecting something but what?

_Grrrrrrrrrrrr…._

A low growl came from some feet behind me. I slowly turned and saw dark shadows lurking behind a pillar. Two glowing red eyes met mine. That wasn't Keith. As it walked out, its footsteps shook the ground. Moonlight revealed what it really was.

"Mer'du." I gasped, frozen in place.

Mer'du towered over me. His breath turned to smoke when exhaled from his lungs. This dragon never left its victims leave without a fight. And clearly I was the next victim of this blood-thirsty monster. With a roar, Mer'du raised its hand and was about to strike.

_ROAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!_

Another roar, different from Mer'du's. Next thing I saw was the salamence tackled and another dragon standing between us.

"Keith!" I exclaimed.

He came back. I noticed his stance was ready for a fight but also protective. His eyes were different. Not like when he went into dragon mode but not his usual self. Fierce, determined, willing to do anything to win the fight. It was like he was guarding me, making sure I wouldn't get hurt. Almost as if I he were putting his life on the line. For….me…..

The salamence growled, stepping forward. Keith readied himself and….hissed? He was hissing. Yeah dragons did that but I read it was only for severe emergencies. Keith must've sensed this was one of them. He and Mer'du glared at each other for what seemed like forever, neither making a move.

With a giant roar, Mer'du leapt towards Keith who slashed him. They were caught up in a dragon fight, one of the most deadly pokemon battles in the world. Blood was drawn as the dragons bit, scratched and whacked each other. This was more than a dragons usual rough and tumble. It was a fight to the death.

"Keith! You can do it!" I yelled out to him. "I believe in you!"

Wasn't sure if my words reached him. But he seemed to be fighting harder. Keith was ignoring the mass of injuries that gathered all over him. Aw no…he was in trouble. And here he was, pushing himself past limits. Keith cornered Mer'du against a pillar and repeatedly slammed him into it. I could see the rocks loosening. I got the plan; Keith was trying to get that giant rock to crush Mer'du. But Mer'du overpowered Keith and sent him crashing across the ring. He laid on the ground, weak and barely moving.

"Keith!" I ran towards him.

WHACK!

A strong force stung me as I flew away from Keith. Mer'du came over and slashed me across the back. An eruption of pain made me shriek, tears flowing from my eyes alongside the blood. I felt Mer'du's paw crushing my back, trying to crush me. This was it….the end…..

ROAR!

A headbut sent Mer'du off of me. Had to be Keith. He was bleeding all over the place and nearly beaten but he pushed Mer'du back into that statue. My sight got blurry but I saw the rock topple. It landed on top of the salamence's head and the rest of the statue crumble onto his body.

Mer'du was no more.

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(Keith)

With a groan, I collapsed onto the ground. Pain exploded all over my body, energy drained completely. Mer'du was dead, gone. I did it; I won the battle. It was weird. When I flew over the highlands, I could sense Kate was in danger. And when I faced against that salamence, I became powerful. It wasn't like when the violent dragon part of me came out. More like my dragon being worked with my spirit. All of my thoughts and desires drained into my strength until one remained.

_Protect the mate. _

Kate was my mate and I had to protect her with my life. I'd do anything to make sure she was ok. And Mer'du would pay for threatening her. During the battle, I fought like I've never fought before. As a human, I'd never do this. But here I was as a dragon. This was me, clawing at another dragon to defend the mate. The fight did get tough. Hearing Kate's words brought me courage and determination to take this beast down. And when I saw the tears in her eyes as she was attacked, it brought a rage full of power that gave me the final boost to take Mer'du down.

"Nnnnggg…."

"_KATE!"_

I crawl over to her side. Her back's drenched in blood, face down in the ground. Aw no she was hurt…badly. These injuries were severe. If she didn't get medical attention she'd…..she'd…..no…

"_Sun's coming up…"_ Wave grimly said.

The black sky was getting lighter. Any moment, the sunrise would appear and lock me inside this curse. It was over. Kate would die and I'd be a dragon permanently. We may have killed Mer'du but we still lost in the end.

"Keith…" Kate struggled to look up into my eyes.

Those blue eyes; still had a tiny sparkle in them. But I saw mixtures of pain, sadness, worry and another one I tried to figure out. The smile worn on her face was a sad one. Kate stroked my face with her soft hands.

"I…I wish I had more time…" She whispered. "…to be with you…"

Without warning, Kate lifted herself and kissed me. Then collapsed into my arms.

"_Kate…"_ Tears escaped from my eyes. _"Please come back….please…I love you…"_

Whooooooooossssshhhhhh!

A strong wind brushed past me as sunlight peaked over the Chroma Highlands. It felt like a thousand needles were poking me at once. But internally, a warm feeling relaxed my tensed spirit.

"_Keith!"_ Chia and Wave exclaimed.

My arms…my legs and wings….every part of me starting glowing, turning to light! I was blinded by the sheer intensity of the brightness. It was then I felt myself melting, shrinking a little, my body shifting. After a moment, the light started fading and the warmness drifted. I slowly opened my eyes.

Hands….I had hands again! Feet, legs, arms, head; all of them back to normal! I was human again! Free of the curse!

_Mend the bond, torn by pride. Open up the feelings, once cast aside._

It wasn't the picture that needed mending. The witch had been talking about my bond with….oh arceus….KATE! She was on the ground, unconscious and barely holding on. Kate was still in trouble, dying. Couldn't waste anymore time. I grabbed the jacket I was wearing and wrapped it around her, trying to stop the bleeding. Carrying her in my arms, I sped off towards Pueltown.

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**I know in the movie when the mom changes back from bear to human, she's naked. For simplicity sake, Keith's clothed in this story.**

**But aint this a great chapter? I gave you drama and a fight! Keith's changed back to normal just in time. Now Kate's the one in trouble and running out of time. Can she still live? **

**More coming up very soon!**


	13. Together

**Short chapter but I promise it's an emotional one! *sniffle* Grab tissues! **

**Read, review and *sniff* enjoy!**

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**(Kate)**

Seemed like forever that I was locked in pain and darkness. Then, just darkness. When I finally came too, I was in a hospital. Woke up from a three day coma with scars on my back. Many of my friends had come to see me. They told me that Keith had saved me after being torn up by Mer'du, who mysteriously disappeared.

Keith…he was human again. The spell was broken. I was in tears when I saw him enter the room (thank heavens no one else was around to see me). He was crying too as he rushed towards my bedside. I couldn't believe he was alive and human. But…but it was miraculous. Keith was back and here to stay.

I spent a week in the hospital and Keith visited me every day. Doctors said I would've needed two weeks if not for the speedy recovery. Keith made me laugh and erased the pain away with that cute smile of his. Something about him…when did Keith become such a man? What was these emotions that swirled around my insides, getting stronger each time I saw him?

About a day after I came back from the hospital, I found out.

"Keith? Where are we going?"

"Just trust me! Listen to the sound of my voice!"

It was late in the day and Keith wanted to go for a walk. Turns out he blindfolded me when I was off guard, flew a staraptor somewhere and made me stumble around as he led me somewhere. All I knew was that the place was steep.

"Ok. Take the blindfold off."

I did so. It was Breeze Hill, with a gorgeous sunset.

"Keith this is amazing…" I whispered.

"Isn't it?" Keith smiled. "I thought this was the perfect place for…er…"

"For what?" I asked.

He hesitated for a moment. Keith pulled out a red rose and put it in my hands. I felt my face burn as he then started to kneel on one leg.

"Kate." Keith looked straight at me with those captivating green eyes. "I love you."

Felt like the whole world paused. There was nothing but us two, standing in the orange sunset glow.

"I've been in love with you for a long time. But I hadn't realized it until I became a dragon." Keith confessed. "I want to love you, to protect you, to see your sweet smile."

"You….love me?" I whispered, shivering a little.

"Everything about you, sweetheart." Keith smiled.

My breath stopped. Tears slipped past my eyes and down my face. I was frozen where I stood, unable to stop them.

"Kate!" Keith's eyes turned to concern, worried he'd done something wrong.

I leapt straight into his arms and cried into his chest. His arms wrapped around me tight, holding me close. It was awhile before I looked back up at him.

"I love you too." I blushed.

His eyes were moist, full of love. Keith kissed me on the lips, emotion flooding into my being. I feel my once-confused feelings transfer into his body. I loved Keith. And I always would.

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**BAWL! EMOTIONAL!**

**But don't back down from this story yet! I've actually got one more chapter to upload before this story's officially over! Stick around! It wont be long!**


	14. Epilogue

**Short lil chapter packed with emotion. Hope you're not out of tissues!**

**This is the last chapter on this crossover. Feel free to skim my current main-story fanfic Im working on and any past fanfics I've done. I'll be continuing to deliver more Almia fanfiction to you all with the characters I….er….we all love. Read, review and finally, enjoy**

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**(Keith)**

Despite breaking that spell, I never really became fully human again.

Granted my body was the way it should be and grew up to be pretty darn handsome. Couldn't talk to pokemon anymore either (Wave did take my advice and became a father quickly) But it was like a little part of the dragon 'me' had remained. Whenever the wind was just right, I instantly relaxed and almost wished I could fly again. Sometimes I'd be able to detect scents, though there was one I knew perfectly (take a guess).

But the one aspect I liked the most….well…it was the 'mate' part of me. I accepted Kate as my one and only true love, my destined mate. There wasn't a moment where I didn't love that girl. And she returned my love and affection. She was absolutely perfect. When we started going out, there was some surprise and yet no surprise at all to our friends. They expected us to get together though they all thought it'd be years and years before I realized my own feelings. Granted, many of them teased. I didn't care. I was in love.

Years passed. People we knew also began to date, fall in love and marry. Believe you me, if it were legal, I would've married Kate long ago. Even at 18, I had to use a lot of resistance to stop from proposing. That age? It was too young, according to people I knew. I ended up waiting an extra three years (which seemed more like a thousand)!

Picked out a nice little diamond ring, inscribed two embracing dragons on the inside. My original plan was to propose at Nabiki Beach at sunset, just the two of us. Somehow I ended up asking her in front of the entire Union. Within ten minutes, all of Almia knew Kate said yes thanks to Rhythmi and the power of technology.

Now I stand up on the stage of Altru park, waiting for the marriage ceremony to start. Everyone we care about is watching from below, happy to see us together. Music starts. I look up to the back. There she is. My beautiful bride in white. Looked so elegant and sweet that I was falling in love all over again.

This is the girl I want to spend the rest of my life, and the one after, with.

My sweetheart, my dragon mate, my one true love.

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…**.I SWEAR IM NOT CRYING! Authors don't cry! They…um…sweat. Through their eyes. Cause they write so much.**

**Thank you all for reading, you've been a great audience!**


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